PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Former Pa. Cyber School head Nick Trombetta is pleading not guilty to charges of theft and fraud, but an unsealed affidavit lays out the case that he syphoned off $8 million in taxpayer dollars to fund his own lavish lifestyle.

The affidavit says these were all purchased at Trombetta’s direction by officers in Avanti, the for-profit consultant group founded by Trombetta.

The unsealed affidavit reads in part: “Trombetta directed Avanti to purchase a plane (which he uses far more than anyone else), to purchase his luxury vacation home in Florida (which he still uses), to purchase his former girlfriend’s residence, and to purchase at least one vehicle for his personal use.”

Avanti’s CEO Brett Giebel: “Big fan of your work, but I have nothing else to add.”

KDKA’s Andy Sheehan: “So, you have no comment on the investigation?”

Giebel: “I didn’t say no comment. I said I had nothing to add.”

The affidavit says Giebel alerted federal authorities to Trombetta’s misdoings, which also includes using the plane to fly his daughter and her friends to Florida for spring break and flying himself to Steelers’ away games.

Giebel has not talked with reporters since an FBI raid last summer.

Sheehan: “Did the FBI seize property from Avanti today?”

Giebel: “Thanks for stopping by. That way would be the exit. Thank you.”

And neither has Trombetta.

Sheehan: “Any answer to the taxpayers about what’s alleged in this indictment?”

KDKA-TV Investigator Andy Sheehan began his broadcast journalism career in September 1992.
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Joined KDKA: September 1992. I was a reporter with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette hired during the newspaper strike.
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